Question

Think about what happened when the first domino was pushed. What characteristic of action potentials did this demonstrate?

Neurons always fire action potentials.

A neuron can partially fire an action potential.

A neuron either fires or does not.

An action potential travels slowly down the axon.

Answer 1

The domino effect illustrates the all-or-none nature of action potentials, where a neuron either fires a full action potential or it does not fire at all. The correct answer is A neuron either fires or does not.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the first domino is pushed and causes a chain reaction, this action demonstrates a characteristic of action potentials in neurons akin to the all-or-none principle. This concept means that a neuron will either fire a full action potential or not fire at all.

Once the threshold of excitation is met, the action potential is triggered and there is no stopping it. It will propagate all the way down the axon to the terminal buttons with full strength, just like when a domino falls and hits the next, and the next, in a cascade. This principle is essential for understanding how nerves transmit signals throughout the body.